September 23, 2024 | Victoria News via UVic News
New provincial funding of $532,500 has been allocated to the University of Victoria (UVic) to expand its Master of Science in Nursing – Nurse Practitioner program. This funding will allow UVic to train 15 additional nurse practitioners, increasing the total number of seats in the program to 50. The initiative aims to address the shortage of primary care providers in British Columbia by boosting the number of nurse practitioners who can offer comprehensive health services, including diagnosing and treating health issues, prescribing medications, and referring patients to specialists.
Dr. Lenora Marcellus, a Professor and Director of the School of Nursing, is spearheading the expansion of the Nurse Practitioner program at UVic, thanks to new provincial funding. This initiative aims to address the shortage of primary care providers in British Columbia by training more nurse practitioners. Marcellus emphasized the importance of this funding, noting the government’s increased support for advanced practice nursing careers and the critical need to meet the growing demand for primary health care in the region.
Marcellus has been a faculty member at the University of Victoria since 2009. With 25 years of experience in nursing practice, administration, and policy, she specializes in neonatal nursing, particularly in transitioning high-risk newborns to the community and fostering neonatal development. Marcellus is deeply involved in research and community services for pregnant and newly parenting women dealing with substance use issues, focusing on infants with Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome and their caregivers. She also supports young, first-time, low-income mothers in their transition to parenting.
Her leadership within the School of Nursing includes committee work and mentorship programs. Beyond academia, Marcellus is active in community services, such as the Vancouver Island Foster Parent Support Services Society and the Moms and Mentors program in Victoria. Her work at UVic emphasizes community health, leadership, and advanced practice nursing.
If you’re interested in exploring more of Lenora Marcellus’s impactful research and academic endeavors, check out her profile on UVicSpace!
